BACOLOD City – The General Alliance of Workers Associations (GAWA) in this province paid tribute to the frontliners who continuously fight the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the International Labor Day.
GAWA secretary-general Wennie Sancho said that frontliners – regarded as heroes and martyrs – should never be forgotten.
“Remember them with a deeper and richer meaning – that a health crisis can be overcome by human love, compassion and above all, by our solidarity against COVID-19 as workers from various sectors,” he added.
GAWA honored the modern-day heroes such as doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, police, military personnel, and all those who have made sacrifices.
Sancho cited their courage and fortitude, especially of the frontline health care workers, in fighting the dreaded virus.
“They offered their services and even their lives without counting the cost so that others may live. They symbolize human love and altruism. Some of them died answering a noble cause above and beyond their call of duty as frontline workers,” he said.
“We salute them as we remember them not with sadness, but with a firm resolve to emulate the highest form of human sacrifice they had rendered as motivated by a sense of responsibility to prioritize the needs and welfare of others rather than their own,” Sancho added.
According to GAWA, the frontline health workers remained true to their calling despite receiving discrimination, having physical and emotional stress and their vulnerability to the virus.
As of April 29, data from the Department of Health showed that t 1,552 Filipino health care workers have been infected with COVID-19.
A total of 32, including 24 doctors and seven nurses have died, while 232 have recovered.
Data from the Philippine National Police, on the other hand, showed that 96 of its personnel have also been infected with the virus. Three of them died and 13 have recovered.(With a report from PIA/PN)
